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Nope. DX you must be dealing with some low-level scrappers so to speak -- people who would only get paid if they filled the position, each looking to fill the same assignment? When companies "troll" a $20,000 fee like this, it is like a truck dragging a side of beef behind it -- you're going to have every dog in the neighborhood looking to get a bite.

Recruiters talk to each other all the time. And we talk to our client HR staff using the same jargon. We recruiters are in the same associations, we go to the same networking meetings, we attend functional groups and association meetings and see each other in the hallways . . . We discuss our projects, our days, and what's going on in our world. We're not competing viciously with a "who gets the resume in first" approach to getting paid, Recruitment firms usually work on their own exclusive assignment, oftentimes sharing commissions with other firms who happen to have a good candidate in hand.

Apply to jobs all you want on Linkedin -- you just don't want to be seen as a "looker" in your profile. As DX says, use that LinkedIn tool if you'd like. But don't convert your LinkedIn profile over to some kind of "I'm out of here" kind of appearance. That will hurt you with your present company, and it will hurt you with your reception by recruiters,

Dave

“There is no such thing as work-life balance. Everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.”- Alain de Botton

Very interesting - so to come back a bit to the initial topic of Linkedin profiles..

If you see an advertised position from one of those big pharmas, instead of either using the Linkedin direct apply (or easy apply) or applying directly on the homepage you prefer to go via recruiters? I always thought these guys cost extra money and sometime they even send you there on there as contractor for them.

But I can see a bit your point that if the recruiter recommends you you have better chances.

Ralf K said "I always thought these guys cost extra money and sometime they even send you there on there as contractor for them. But I can see that if the recruiter recommends you you have a better chance."

DX is correct that you have a better chance if being referred by a recruiter. That is, as long as the company is USING headhunters. If they do not, than adding a large fee to the equation certainly doesn't make your job any easier,

That said, the same thing applies for ANY referral. Get a person internally to promote you to the hiring manager -- that's a plus. And, it could result in a few thousand $$ for that person on an internal referral (which most companies pay).

Dave

“There is no such thing as work-life balance. Everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.”- Alain de Botton

Dave Jensen wrote:Nope. DX you must be dealing with some low-level scrappers so to speak -- people who would only get paid if they filled the position, each looking to fill the same assignment? When companies "troll" a $20,000 fee like this, it is like a truck dragging a side of beef behind it -- you're going to have every dog in the neighborhood looking to get a bite.

Recruiters talk to each other all the time. And we talk to our client HR staff using the same jargon. We recruiters are in the same associations, we go to the same networking meetings, we attend functional groups and association meetings and see each other in the hallways . . . We discuss our projects, our days, and what's going on in our world. We're not competing viciously with a "who gets the resume in first" approach to getting paid, Recruitment firms usually work on their own exclusive assignment, oftentimes sharing commissions with other firms who happen to have a good candidate in hand.

Apply to jobs all you want on Linkedin -- you just don't want to be seen as a "looker" in your profile. As DX says, use that LinkedIn tool if you'd like. But don't convert your LinkedIn profile over to some kind of "I'm out of here" kind of appearance. That will hurt you with your present company, and it will hurt you with your reception by recruiters,

Dave

Hi Dave,

No not really, it's just a different landscape on the European side vs. American side, mainly due to complexity and Job area where I sit (Commericial and Global/Corporate HQ). In my sector and geography you have recruiting firms sitting in different countries recruiting internationally - cross boarder. So a recruiter or recruitment firm could be based in the UK for example and have a Position to fill for a Company in Switzerland - they could be in competition if the don't have exclusivity for the Position with other firms based in other countries so Germany or France or firms located within Switzerland. Similarly you have a German recruiter working on a Position in say the Nordics and so and so on.

So add in that geographic complexity, and language complexity and well the risk for recruiters talking is quite low. Not mention the sharing of commission etc. here those things are harder.

Not to meniton issues of data privacy and protection that exists here and not in the US which adds another Level of complexity.

So again the caveat is my geography and my Job area and cross-boarder recruiting especially as we're working more in a globalized competition pool of Talent.

What it Looks like is at least in my inbox, i may get a couple recruiters (usualy on some prefered vendor list for the Client) reaching out to me for the same Job - one can be from the UK another say my home market - they're not talking to each other obviously. And also not to mention that on this side, Europeans are just not as networky as us Americans and that's not a dig it's just a cultural difference. Not to say they are not networky - its just different.

I'm not saying the behavior you're referring to does not exist say within the market (i.e. in Country), yes there are a few firms that I don't trust but it's not what you describe in Terms of trading notes on candidates.

I have had the box for open to opportunities clicked for years now, has never stopped recruters from reaching out to me - sitting both in-side a Pharma Company (so called Talent Scouts) or external firms - to illustrate the complexity, for my next Position which I'll start end of Q1, the recruiter was based in Germany, for a HQ Position a different EU Country/City with me living in another Country. And two Jobs back, it was a Talent Scout from the Pharma Company itself who found me on LinkedIn (while I was still employeed) - my box ticked in the open for opps didn't stop him from reaching out. No recruiter or HR has ever accused me of being a Looker.

There are more important behaviors that will Label you as a Looker as you describe - to a recruiter and to a Company. One is multiple applications to the same Company that are not targeted and frequent, and other assessments can be only be assesses via a conversation and not a box on Linked.

I'm have been a passive candidate - its a nice spot to be, so there is a line between being passive and being a "looker" as you describe, behavior wise.

A behavior consistent with truely being passive is one where you Display that you're ok to be contacted, but you're not really jumping at all opportunities that are being brought to your Attention - it means that you're informing the recruiter that you're not really looking and only interested in very targeted opportunities which you can Frame up. And such opp that "may" warrent your Attention with a soft verbal, not overt comment, said but more inferred, that you don't really care to be contacted until such Job Profile/Frame work is had. And that's a totally OK behavior.

In my case if they don't call me - hey they're not wasting my time and I"m not wasting thiers, no loss for me really. And I do think being passive links to readiness for a Job application effort and comfort in current role.

Being a Looker, you're telling the recruiter to call me with all Jobs in an area/function and you're proactively contacting many recruiters and applyng for many Jobs, left and right and well as a candidate, you're greesing that behavior you describe. At the worse what it could look like is HR in the Company is getting your CV from multiple recruiters for multiple Jobs, or for the same Job, or you've put your CV into HR and then use a Recruiter for the same Job and well...all the above is just one big NO NO. There will be no opportunity then.

Hope my views are clear - again look at my caveat for a more western Europe view and sector (where you get some of you Forum Readers).

The Forum I guess my Major recommendation is avoid looking hungry and desparate to get out and don't bother too much about that Little box on the Linkedin in. For me its moot. But that's my experience from the candidate side and from one who has looked at Linkedin Profiles during the hiring process - i personally don't care or even look for that box.